Antiskid cross chain



' Dec. 6, 1927.

W. J. BOYER ANTISKID CROSS CHAIN Filed July 1, 1927 Patented Dec. 6,1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. BOYER, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

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Application filed July 1, 1927. Serial No. 202,810.

distribute the wear about different portions of the wear-receivingelements.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cross chain withwear-receiving studs that are revolubly connected .to the cross chain soas to distribute the wear uniformly over the wear-receiving portion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cross chain havingwear-receiving elements so formed that the elements will not becomesmooth surfaced under wear until they are approximately worn out.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription when read in connection with the accompanying drawingshowing illustrative embodiments of the invention, and wherein Fig. l isa plan view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of: a cross chain equipped with devicesembodying the inven tion. ,7

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 1, upon an enlarged scale.

Figs. 4, 6 and 8 are plan views of different forms of heads ofwear-receiving elements, and

Figs. 5, 7 and 9 are detail side elevations of the heads of suchelements.

Fig. 10 is a detail plan view of a retaining washer.

As shown, the device comprises a cross chain formed of a usual form oftwisted links 10, the ends of the cross chain being provided with theusual form of connecting hooks 11. I

The cross chain shown is the usual form of Weed cross chain, and it isobvious that other forms of links could. be utilized. In the use of theusual form of chains, the wear upon the pavement falls directly upon thelinks of the chains which speedily wear through with a result ofbreakage of the to applicant, the studs have been placed in the links insuch a manner as to be not revoluble, with the result that the studswear down in a single position, thereby greatly shortening their life,and when the studs have worn smooth parallel-with the pavement theirgripping effect has been greatly reduced.

In accordance with the invention as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,wear-receiving studs 12 are inserted through the links, which studs havereduced portions 13, as shown in Fig. 3, for reception of a washer 14,desirably countersunk, as shown at 15, into which the reduced portions13 are headed, or upset, as shown at 16, Fig. 3. The washers 14- arepreferably rounded as shown, whereby to provide relatively smoothsurfaces in contact with the tire, to which the cross chains areapplied, being held thereon by the usual circumferential connectingchains, not shown, which chains are engaged by the hooks 11.

The necks 17 of the elements 12 are rounded, as shown, and have adiameter such as to provide free revolution of the elements 12 in thelinks, by virtue of which revolution the wear upon the heads 18 of theelements is distributed.

To increasethe friction between the heads 18 and the pavement, the headsare shown as formed with projecting portions 19 which tend to dig intothe pavement.

To preserve a roughened surface of the heads during wearing away of thesame, the heads are shown as grooved at 20 in such a manner that whenthe wear ensues the heads will still present a roughened surface.

Were the heads solid in cross section wear would speedily provide aconical surface thereon, which cone would present a surface parallelwith the pavement, with an apex at the center-of the head, therebygreatly reducing their gripping qualities. To avoid this defect, theheads in each of the forms shown are counterbored, as at 21, whereby thegripping qualities thereof will be retained substantially through thelife of the element. y

In the form of the invention of Figs. 4 and 5, the counterbore is shownat 22 with grooves 23 radiating therefrom, this form of the head beingshown as provided with projecting portions 24, for the purpose aboveindicated.

In the form of Figs. 6 and 7, the counterbore is shown at 9.5, and thehead approaches the form of a star having projecting portions at 26,said projections separated by grooves 27.

In the form of Figs. 8 and 9, the head approaches a triangle havingprojections 28, and a counterbore 29.

In addition to the freedom for motion of revolution of the studs in thelinks it will be seen that they are free to tilt to some extent, therebygreatly increasing their resistance to either skidding, or slipping ofthe wheel upon which the chains may be mounted. "When the studs areapplied to twisted links as shown the tilting will bring the axis of thestuds into a diagonal position out of both the plane of the wheel andthe vertical plane of the axis of the wheel to a better position forresistance than either of these planes since in this diagonal positionreferred to the resistance will be both against skidding and slipping atthe same time.

The studs may be readily applied to existing chains and since theapplication thereof is simple it may be carried out either by the retaildealer or the user. Preferably the wear heads at least of the studs willbe case hardened, and the necks and washers may be also hardened ifdesired.

When a chain equipped with the elements shown has been used until theelements are substantially worn out, if they have not been worn to suchan extent as to remove themselves from the chain, the user can apply apunch to the reduced portion 13 and drive the same out of the washer,and can readily supply new. elements to the chain, thereby preservingthe life of the chain indefinitely. Desirably the countersunk portion 15of the washer is provided with grooves 30 into which the metal of thereduced portion 13 may be forced to prevent revolution of the washerupon the reduced portion.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the inventionwithout departing from the spirit thereof within the'scope of theappended claims.

I claim- 1. A cross chain comprising, in combination, an open link, awear-receiving element mamas having a reduced neck revolubly mounted inthe opening of the link.

2. A cross chain comprising, in combina tion, a plurality of open links,wear receiving studs, having enlarged heads and a reduced neck revolublymounted in certain of said links.

3. A cross chain comprising, in combination, a plurality of open links,wear-receiving elements each comprising a head having radial grooves anda. neck portion, the neck portion of each of said wear elementsrevolubly mounted in the opening of one of said links, and a washerrigidly secured to said neck to retain the element in position.

4. A cross chain comprising, in combination, a plurality of open links,wear-receiving elements each comprising a reduced neck revolubly mountedin the opening of one of said links, an enlarged head formed with radialgrooves, and a non-cylindrical circumference, and a rounded washerrigidly secured to said neck on the opposite side of the link from saidhead for retaining the element in position.

5. A cross chain comprising, in combination, a plurality ofwear-receivng elements each formed with an enlarged wear-rcceiw inghead, a reduced neck revolubly mounted in the opening of one of saidlinks, a rounded tire engaging Washer for retaining the element inposition in the link, said head formed Wth a central counterbore, radialgrooves extending from said counterbore to the circumference ofthe head,said circumference being formed with projecting portions to increasefriction with the pavement.

6. A cross chain comprising, in combination, a plurality ofwear-receiving elements each formed with an enlarged wear-receivinghead, a reduced neck revolubly and tiltably mounted in the opening ofone of said links, a rounded tire engaging washer for retaining theelement in position in the link, said headformed with a centralcounterbore, radial grooves extending from said counterbore to thecircumference of the head, said circumference being formed withprojecting portions to increase friction with the pavement.

WILLIAM J. BOYER.

